Five albums that deserve another listen: Part II
Elliott Smith Figure 8
Most people reference Either/Or as his best album, and it is certainly stellar, but take a listen to this one and you’ll find that same depressed soul-searching Smith that we knew and loved, but expanded to include more than just his voice and guitar. “Son of Sam” and “Junkbond Trader” are prime examples of Smith trying to break away from the “a man and his guitar” tag, although he plays right into that tag with tracks like “Somebody That I Used to Know.” I like Smith’s earlier albums a lot as well, but I think this one gets passed over because it is not as intimate, which is what he did best. But this is still a fantastic album and one that should be revisited.
